Make Sure Your Site's Average Speed is Under 3 Seconds

Bounce rates go up significantly for every second your landing page takes to load ( according to a study done by Google in 2017).

Google recommends that you keep average site speeds below 3 seconds, but the lower the better.

In some cases, like with e-commerce stores with lots of functionality, this may not be possible.

Make Sure TTFB is Under 0.5 Seconds

Time to First Byte, your server response time, should be under 0.5 seconds according to a study by Moz on 100,000 websites.

Long server load times can be fixed by using a fast web host and caching your server-generated pages.

Minify Your CSS Files

Some of your Cascading Style Sheet files can be minified. Minification makes your files smaller by removing unnecessary data. Developer tools or this online CSS minifier can help with that.

Minify Your JS Files

Some of your JavaScript files can be minified. Minification strips out unnecessary data from your JS files so that they're smaller and can be downloaded faster. Developer tools or this online JS minifier can help with that.

LazyLoad Your Images

Images that are not yet on the screen don't have to load when the page first loads. LazyLoad delays the load of these files until the visitor is about to scroll to them. We recommend LazySizes for this.

Extract Your Critical CSS and Inline It

Not all of your CSS needs to be loaded when your page first loads. Only the style rules that are needed for visible elements should be loaded. This CSS extracting library can help with that.

Defer or Remove Render Blocking Resources

Some JS or CSS files are loading before the rest of your page can load. For files that can wait until later, you should defer them so the page can finish loading. Here's how to defer JS files.

Add Reviews and Testimonials

Social proof is important in helping your visitor trust that you'll deliver on what you promise. Makes sure to include reviews or testimonials if applicable. eMarketer found customer reviews are more than 11x more trusted than descriptions from vendors.

Add Badges and Logos From Third Parties

Affiliations with trusted third parties can help reassure visitors. Use trust badges, client logos and partner logos as social proof.

Add Guarantees and Relevant Policies

Privacy policies, anti-spam policies, refund policies, money back guarantees, and terms of service all help build trust. Of course, only if each one is applicable to your offer.

If offering a refund policy, longer policies inspire trust and result in lower return rates according to an analysis from the University of Texas.

Add Easy Contact Options

Being able to get in touch easily boosts your credibility with visitors according to 4 studies from Stanford. Have a phone number, email address, and/or physical address. Chat apps are also a great option.

Remove Non-Essential Form Fields

Having less fields makes it easier for visitors to complete your form. However, not having fields that visitors expect can result in them not completing your form.

In a case study from Conversion XL, they found conversions went down when too many fields were removed since too much information was missing.

Break Up Long Forms into Multiple Steps

In a case study from Venture Harbour, splitting up a 53 question form into 4 steps improved completion rates by 53%. Breaking up your forms into multiple pages or steps helps long forms feel less intimidating.

Make Your Main Buttons Contrast and Look Like Buttons

Buttons that stand out and look clickable get clicked on more. Make sure your main buttons catch the eye and stand out against the background. Here are some examples of some great buttons from CrazyEgg.

Remove Unnecessary Elements From Your Layout

Keep your pages uncluttered and professional looking. According to the Stanford Credibility Lab, a website's visual design is one of the first things visitors use to assess how credible a site is. The more professional and appropriate, the better.

Change Your Font, Make Sure the Colour Contrasts, and/or Increase Your Font Size

Your content should be legible and easy to read. Make sure font is appropriate - avoid anything too fancy. The font colour should contrast against the background, and the font should be big enough for even grandma to read.

Simplify Your Navigation

Simple menus with items ordered by priority help your visitors navigate your site. Remove navigation items that aren't visited, and keep the menu clean and usable.

Match Your Headline's Messaging to the Traffic Source

Match the messaging of your heading between your traffic source and your landing page. The visitor should not be surprised by the headline of the landing page.

For more information, check out this research from Unbounce on Message Match where they analyzed 300 paid ads and landing pages.

Make Your Headline Clear About What You're Offering

Make sure your headline is succinct and clear about the value that you're providing.

Address Your Target Market's Pain Points in Your Copy

Make sure your content addresses your target market's needs. What problem are you solving for them?

Highlight Your Offering's Key Benefits in Your Copy

Show how you're going to solve your market's problems for them in your content.

Write Your Copy in First Person and in a Personable Voice

Essentially, write like you're human. Write in first person and in the way you speak. People like to connect to other people, and not robots.

Fix Any Typos and Broken Links

According to 7 studies from Stanford, typos and broken links can sink your landing page's credibility. Make sure your fix errors of all types, especially spelling and grammar errors.